


staring is caring

by melonpanparade



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Meetings, M/M, public transport romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-28
Updated: 2014-08-28
Packaged: 2018-02-15 03:28:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2214108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melonpanparade/pseuds/melonpanparade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Armin accidentally falls asleep on Jean on the train. The only thing is, they don't know each other yet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	staring is caring

**Author's Note:**

> OKAY so [cai](http://aarlert.tumblr.com) drew stranger!Armin accidentally falling asleep on Jean on public transport, and everyone should [check it out](http://aarlert.tumblr.com/post/89333379466/cy-said-something-about-jearmin-and-accidentally) because it is beautiful and everything I ever wanted. And here is a fic to go with it, because I couldn’t resist. 
> 
> Originally posted on tumblr [here.](http://melonpanparade.tumblr.com/post/89365878229)

Jean knows he shouldn’t be staring. It’s rude, and he can’t count how many times his Ma has scolded him for it. But, he tells himself, anyone would stare if they just watched someone dash into the train right before the doors shut. His fascination—no, make that mild interest—has nothing to do with the great shock of yellow hair, thoroughly wind-tousled from racing for the train, or the twin red spots blooming on pale cheeks, and it most definitely has nothing to do with the way the boy smiles at him with pearly white teeth and bright eyes before taking the empty seat next to him.

He closes his eyes and listens to the laboured breathing gradually return to normal and revels in the warmth radiating from the body next to him. The steady flow of people coming in and out of the train is a tell-tale sign that they’ve stopped again. Perhaps one or two stations have passed; he’s been so distracted that he’s not entirely sure. After a while, Jean sighs in resignation and finally admits that, yeah, he’s a terrible liar. Because he is completely and utterly fascinated, infatuated, and maybe not  _in love_ per se, but in deep attraction, whatever, at first sight.

And, oh. Oh dear. He’s panicking now.

_The sunshine has fallen asleep on my shoulder and what do I do and, damn, his shampoo smells really nice and what the hell am I saying—for goodness’ sake, get a hold of yourself Jean!_

Honestly, though, what does one do in this kind of situation?

Jean feels a bit silly, but regardless, he uses his phone—with his left hand, so that his movements won’t jostle his neighbour—to research proper train etiquette for when someone falls asleep on your shoulder. He wasn’t expecting Google to be so useless, though. The results only bring up photos and videos of passengers falling asleep on public transport, and for a split second he’s tempted to take a photo of the two of them. Sunshine—he’s taken to calling the boy Sunshine in his internal monologues now—chooses that moment to snuggle closer, pressing himself closer to his side. Jean doesn’t miss the muffled laughter from the chatty old ladies sitting opposite, and the quiet, knowing smiles they throw his way. He’s positive they’re internally laughing at his predicament, if the twinkle in their eyes is anything to go by. The horror of being seen by them (hardly anyone else is left in the carriage), or even worse, being caught by Sunshine in the case that he wakes up is enough to banish that impulse.

After much digression, he finally returns to his initial problem: what does one do in this kind of situation?

Should he wake Sunshine up, or does Sunshine have an alarm set so he doesn’t miss his stop? If he wakes Sunshine up, how should he do it? Move slightly, or suddenly jerk his shoulder, or shake him awake, or talk to him to get his attention, or  _what_?? If Sunshine keeps on sleeping like that, won’t he get a stiff neck? And what about when  _he_ needs to get off the train for his own stop? Oh, hang on; he’s pretty sure that they’ve just pulled up to the station after his, so that answers that question. Well, there are more important matters to consider, like, what the hell should he do when Sunshine finally wakes up?

A million questions run through Jean’s mind, but he finds himself concentrating on Sunshine’s shampoo—a scent that reminds him of a fine, breezy summer day.

He’s trying to rid himself of a crick in his neck when he feels Sunshine shift next to him and then mutter, “Mmmph, what station is this?”

“Hello,” Jean murmurs, hoping that his voice doesn’t betray his thoughts. He’s partially captivated by the sleep-addled voice and the messy hair, and equally amused by the fact that his cleverly picked name for the boy means that he just witnessed a sunrise. And, he admits, perhaps a tad embarrassed at the whole situation at hand. “We’re almost at Shiganshina.”

Jean can pick the exact moment that Sunshine gains full awareness of his surroundings. He suddenly removes himself from Jean’s shoulder, and with the tips of his ears bright red, apologises profusely, over and over again. Among 10 different ways to say sorry, Jean’s almost sure that he heard something akin to, “I really hope I didn’t drool all over your jacket.” 

This time, Jean doesn’t even realise that he’s staring, smiling even, until Sunshine finally stops apologising and asks, “Aren’t you getting off? This is the last stop.”

“Oh. Right. Yeah.”

He lingers behind Sunshine all the way up to the concourse to put some distance between them. He’s glancing at the indicator boards, trying to figure out what platform and how long he has to wait for the next train back to Trost when Sunshine turns around abruptly and stalks over to his side, realisation and remorse written all over his face.

“You missed your stop, didn’t you? I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you. I mean, you should have shoved me off or something. Oh, hell, I am so sorry.”

Jean blinks. He thought Sunshine was already on the other side of the ticket barriers. Well, that just made things awkward. “No, I… I live here!”

He’s a terrible liar, and even Sunshine knows it because he chooses to ignore it.

“Look, it’s getting late, and it’s kinda cold so… let me buy some hot chips from the station store and I’ll wait with you.”

“You don’t have to,” Jean protests, yet a traitorous thrill courses through him at the very idea.

“Please, it’s the least I can do.”

And so, five minutes later, they’re sitting together on the platform and sharing hot chips when Sunshine laughs all of a sudden; a sweet, clear sound.  

“Oh man, this is really late and awkward, but… hi, I’m Armin.”

“I’m Jean.”

They face each other, with hesitant, shy smiles, and this time Jean knows he’s staring—they’re both staring, actually, and when their fingers brush against each other, neither of them moves away. 


End file.
